Whither Japanese Pacificism?

Pino Cazzaniga "wonders if the Land of the Rising Sun is still 'pacifist'" — Growing war industry in pacifist Japan. Of country's "Peace Constitution," he suggests that "the fundamental charter of the Japanese nation presents itself as a model constitution, because today it seems one can no longer speak of 'just war'" (except defensive war, of course) and notes that "the country has begun a debate on possible constitutional reform on this issue."

Mr. Cazzaniga explains that "if we limit ourselves to Article 9*, popular polls shows that the number of citizens who wish to keep it as it is exceeds the number of those who believe it requires some modifications." However, he explains that the usual suspects are behind the push for militarization: "Japanese pacifism is not transparent, because in Japan there are three powers: one democratic and two more occult; the first is represented by the people, the voters; and hence the guarantee of freedom and openness is good; the other two are in the hands of industry and bureaucracy, where the logic of profit or that of the international balance of power prevails over the ethics of democracy."

*"Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes. 2) In order to accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph, land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized."